I love to read. It’s honestly one of my favorite things in the world. I am an avid library user, often taking out 5-10 books at a time, and I own several hundred in bookshelves around the house. As an avid book reader, I’ve read and reviewed a tremendous number of books about money, work, and life that I believe you’ll find interesting, engaging, and above all valuable to your personal success. Check out my reviews, and if you want to buy these books, I’ll receive a small commission from Amazon at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting the site!
First and foremost, we have the Four Books that Changed My Financial Life – The Wealthy Barber, The Millionaire Next Door, The Tightwad Gazette, and Your Money Or Your Life. You can also check out my top seven money books for recent graduates.
There was also the time I almost had a breakdown about all these personal finance books being the same. A bit of burnout there! I don’t recommend going on a personal finance basics book reading binge. But if you’re looking for a solid book recommendation and review, I’ve got a ton here for you. Use my burnout to your advantage!
Better Off – Flipping the Switch on Technology
A man with degrees from degrees from Yale, Washburn University, and MIT decides to go live with his wife an an Amish-like community for 18 months. No electricity, no modern appliances, and no technology. Full review here.
Bobbleheads? No, Bogleheads Guide to Investing
My top recommended book for those looking for a comprehensive review of investing and financial basics. Full review here
Dear Debt Its Not Me, Its You
An inspiring story of getting out of debt, from Melanie Lockert, creator of Dear Debt and Lola Retreat. Full review here.
Designing Your Life – Use This Book To Reach Financial Independence
Use design thinking principals to improve your life – home, work, financial, you name it. Full review here
End Financial Stress Now!
A great basic book on ending financial stress from my now-friend Emily Guy Birkin. Full review here
Financial Foolishness – Pound Foolish
A good book if you want a critical look at the personal finance industry. But warning, it is full of an attitude that no matter what you do, you can’t change your financial future. Full review here
Frugal Isn’t Cheap- Spend Less, Save More, and Live BETTER
You can be frugal without being cheap. Full review here.
Get A Financial Life: Personal Finance In Your Twenties and Thirties
If you’re in your 20’s or 30’s and have never read about personal finance before, this is a great comprehensive resource. Full review here.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
A highly recommended, amazing book about persevering through difficulties to achieve success. Full review here.
Half Price Living: Secrets to Living Well on One Income
Mostly geared toward women who want to be stay at home moms, but also works well for anyone looking to cut down to one income. Full review here
Identity Theft – Swiped by Adam Levin
My top favorite book on identity theft and personal security, hands down. Full review here
Love Your Life, Not Theirs: A Book About FOMO
Targeted at late-20’s to early 30’s women who grew up upper-middle class. They struggle with wanting “all the things” their friends have, and the things their parents have after 30+ years of hard work. They have some debt and aren’t financially literate. Full review here.
Middle Class Millionaire
About millionaires that held so-called “middle class values” as opposed to the values of the super-wealthy. Full review here
Millionaire Women Next Door
This book is primarily about women business owners, although toward the end he does feature women who achieved millionaire status through part-time work, and through regular jobs. He also talks about women who “run the family office”, meaning that they’re a stay at home parent who manages money and finances to help the entire family achieve success. Full review here
New Rules of the Game- 10 Strategies for Women in the Workplace
Susan has pulled together resources with examples of “line” jobs (vs. support jobs), the best companies for working and executive women, resources for building a global career, and resources for improving your speaking and presentation. Full review here.
Playbook for Tough Times Vol. 2 Needs and Wants
Frugal choices and intentional spending help us to reach our goals faster. Frugal life hacks on the needs and wants in your life can help you to reach your financial goals faster, and can also be a lifesaver when things get difficult. Full review here.
Raising Financially Confident Kids
If money is something you don’t usually talk about with your kids, pick this book up and give it a read. You’ll be inspired to start having some key money conversations, and maybe you’ll want to implement the salary system- all good things for your family’s financial future. Full review here.
Randomly Walking Down Wall Street
This book may be 40+ years old, but it’s completely timeless. Since the book’s been fully updated with the latest bubbles, the financial crisis, and investment options it’s just as relevent today as it was in the 1970’s. Anyone interested in investing and financial freedom needs to pick this up and read it today. Full review here.
Reading on Retirement: Retire Inspired
A very good introduction to the basics of personal finance and “retirement”. The author isn’t just advocating the usual work until 65 and then stay home all day image that many people have when they think about retirement. Instead he encourages people to think about financial freedom and what they want to do with the next phase of their lives. Full review here.
Rescue Your Money
Build a highly diversified portfolio consisting of low-cost institutional shares and exchange-traded funds. Buy low/sell high through strategic rebalancing, and maintain a long-term investment horizon. Full review here.
Smart Couples Finish Rich
Great book for people who are just starting to get interested in personal finance, who haven’t yet been introduced to the miracle that is compound interest, or if you just want a fun and quick money read. Full review here.
Smarter, Better, Faster
All about improving corporate/work and personal productivity. Full review here.
Stop Acting Rich-And Start Living Like a Real Millionaire
Overall, the lesson from this book is very similar to that of The Millionaire Next Door, but with a slight twist. Instead of focusing only on self-made millionaires, Dr. Stanley talks about the “glittering rich” as compared to real millionaires. Full review here
The Art of Non-Conformity
In the book, the author teaches you how to build a good, meaningful life in an unconventional way. This is an amazing book for those that want to start thinking about living differently. Full review here
The Automatic Millionaire New Edition Review!
This particular book was a #1 New York Times, Businessweek, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal best seller, selling more than 1.5 million copies since it was written back in 2005. Good basic beginner book. Full review here
The Four Hour Workweek, Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich
Tim kicks off the book in a way that really hooks you in-telling his story about how he went from the 9-5 (or more!) drudgery to working only four hours a week and making more per month than he used to make in a year. Full review here
The More of Less
Joshua and his family started out like many of us – with too much stuff. What he found was that his stuff was controlling him rather than him controlling his life. So he embraced minimalism, and now it’s his job. Full review here
The Tipping Point: Can We Make Financial Literacy Go Viral?
Gladwell studies what causes social epidemics to flourish-or fall-seemingly at random but really due to factors you can predict and control. He goes through the roles of different kinds of key people that cause information to spread like wildfire, and what makes an idea “sticky”, or have staying power. Full review here
The Wealthy Barber- When Your Most Influential Books Let You Down
Even though this is one of the four books that changed my financial life, unfortunately it hasn’t been updated and is now likely unhelpful to new folks starting their personal finance journey. I still enjoyed re-reading it for the nostalgia factor. Full review here
Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers
The book promises to be filled with the tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires, icons, and world-class performers. And it does not disappoint. After all, don’t most of us want to know how the successful do what they do-any how we can apply those lessons in our own lives? Full review here
White Coat Investor – Solid Advice for the High Income Professional
If you’re a doctor, or know someone who is currently or is working on becoming a doctor, I would 100% recommend getting this. Even if you’re not a doctor, if you earn a high income or are on track to do so, I would still recommend reading this and just glossing over the doctor-specific stuff. Full review here.
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